The Po River Delta (North Italy) Indoor Epidemiological Study: Home Characteristics,Indoor Pollutants,and Subjects' Daily Activity Pattern

Abstract A total of 140 homes in the Po River Delta area of North Italy (near Venice) were monitored during summer and winter to measure the concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and respirable suspended particulate matter (RSP, ≤ 2.5 μm). In this paper, the findings on home characteristics, daily activity pattern of occupants, and residential indoor air quality are described. Our study confirms that people spend the greater part of their daily lives indoors (84%), especially at home (64%). The concentration of monitored pollutants was greater in winter than in summer. The highest levels of NO₂ were found in the kitchens. Significantly higher indoor NO₂ levels were found in the houses with gas-furnace heating and/or with gas water heater located inside the home. RSP was significantly higher in homes where tobacco smoking took place, and was significantly related to the number of cigarettes smoked. A significant relationship between NO₂ indoor concentrations and RSP values in both seasons was found.     

When–and how–can a cellular automaton be rewritten as a lattice gas?

Both cellular automata (CA) and lattice-gas automata (LG) provide finite algorithmic presentations for certain classes of infinite dynamical systems studied by symbolic dynamics; it is customary to use the terms ‘cellular automaton’ and ‘lattice gas’ for a dynamic system itself as well as for its presentation. The two kinds of presentation share many traits but also display profound differences on issues ranging from decidability to modeling convenience and physical implementability.     

Grain Size Effects on Mine Water Quality and Acid/Neutral Rock Drainage Production in Kinetic Testing Using Recsk Porphyry Skarn Cu–Zn Deposit Rocks

The quality of mine drainage from sulphide-containing waste rock dumps is controlled by several factors. To characterize the effects of grain size on acid/neutral rock drainage production, kinetic tests were performed on samples from the Recsk porphyry skarn Cu–Zn deposit in Hungary, an area known to generate ARD. Five columns were used, each containing specific grain size ranges (1–2, 2–4, 4–8, 8–16, and 16–32 mm). Prior to the kinetic tests, a static test was performed for each grain size range to obtain total and available neutralizing potential (NP) and acid potential (AP). Total NP and AP values were roughly similar for all grain size ranges, while available NP increased as grain size decreased. The neutralization potential ratio for all grain size ranges was <1, which suggests a potentially acid-producing material. The kinetic tests, however, had contrasting results; a grain size of 1–4 mm produced a circumneutral pH, while grain size groups >4 mm produced pHs from 5.1 down to 3.6. Higher alkalinity values in the leach water were linked to the finer grain samples, primarily producing circumneutral pH. Grain size correlated with the sulphate release rate during the stable release period: the sulphate release rate was less at larger grain sizes. In contrast, sulphide oxidation calculated from oxygen consumption was highest for the intermediate grain size range, followed by the coarser and then the finer grains. The leaching of metals established an increasing concentration with increasing acidity without a very clear relationship to grain size. The established concept of increased metal mobility with decreasing pH applies, regardless of grain size.     

Polymerase chain reaction products (PCR) on “DNA barcode zone” resolved by temporal temperature gradient electophoresis: A tool for species identification of mixed meat specimens – A technical note on preliminary results

The capability of PCR-TTGE to detect meat species in mixed animal samples was investigated as a necessary step in developing a method where the identification will be performed matching on the “DNA barcode” zone the sequences of resolved PCR products obtained from a limited set of “universal” primers. Exemplary mixtures from five important meat species were analyzed. At this stage more PCR reactions have to be applied on a sample but this should be easily improved using primers simultaneously (as a “cocktail”) in a single reaction.     

Furosine as a Pasta Quality Marker: Evaluation by an Innovative and Fast Chromatographic Approach

A fast and simple high‐performance liquid chromatography method suitable for determining furosine level in heat‐treated food samples was developed. The analysis of furosine was performed by a novel mixed‐mode column that provides multiple and simultaneous retention mechanisms including cation‐exchange, anion‐exchange, reversed‐phase, or hydrophilic interaction. Each retention mechanism could be independently controlled by setting chromatographic conditions. Adequate retention and selectivity of polar charged furosine were achieved by adjusting mobile phase pH, buffer concentration, organic content, and ionic strength. The optimized method was successfully applied to determinate furosine in durum wheat semolina pasta samples. Furosine level in pasta may be used as a reliable marker of health and nutritional damage occurring during pasta manufacture. Indeed, a low content of furosine is generally related to high nutritional quality of food and application of mild heat treatments. A wide range of dry pasta samples, collected from both supermarkets (large‐scale retail trade) and shops selling local products, were analyzed. Variable amounts of furosine, ranging from 107 to 506 mg/100 g of protein, were found in pasta samples. The proposed method allows to discriminate products submitted to different time–temperature conditions during the drying process. At the same time, it may be used to highlight potential label fraud.     

Effect of inulin as prebiotic and synbiotic interactions between probiotics to improve fermented milk firmness

Inulin behaved as a prebiotic to improve firmness of skim milk fermented by (a) pure cultures of Lactobacillus acidophilus (La), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (Lr), Lactobacillus bulgaricus (Lb) and Bifidobacterium lactis (Bl), (b) binary co-cultures of them with Streptococcus thermophilus (St), or (c) a cocktail containing all them. Inulin addition to co-cultures and cocktail enhanced products firmness, either after 1 day (D1) or 7 days (D7) of cold storage, likely due to the increase in microbial growth induced by metabolic interactions among lactic acid bacteria and partial inulin metabolization. Co-culture firmness did in fact range from 0.33 N without inulin (St-Lb) after D1 and 0.55 N with inulin (St-Lr) after D7. Also cocktail cultures exhibited high values of firmness, ranging, as an average, from 0.43 N (D1) to 0.46 N (D7), which suggests that they could have been potentiated by the reciprocal synergistic effects of microorganisms in complex mixture.     

Extraction of phenolics from Vitis vinifera wastes using non-conventional techniques

Polyphenols, the well known naturally occurring antioxidants, are the most abundant secondary metabolites in grape wastes. Herein we investigate several non-conventional extraction methods vs classic solid–liquid extraction (SLE) to obtain phenolic compounds from grape seeds and skins. We compared SLE, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and high pressure and temperature extraction (HPTE) in term of extraction yield and antioxidant power of the extract. Solvent of choice between methanol and ethanol was the former, both for skins and seeds. Quali-quantitative analyses were performed using colorimetric and HPLC methods. The highest content in total polyphenols, o-diphenols and flavonoids, both for seeds (108.3, 47.0 mg_GAE g_DW⁻¹, 47.2 mg_CE g_DW⁻¹) and skins (34.2, 10.1 mg_GAE g_DW⁻¹, 21.6 mg_CE g_DW⁻¹) was obtained with HPTE working in a Parr reactor. While the highest antiradical power was determined in seeds extracts from MAE (78.6 μl_extract μg_DPPH⁻¹). Prolonged extraction times (over 30 min) further increased the amount of total polyphenols, while progressively decreased the amount of flavonoids and the antiradical power.     

Effect of the lactic acid bacteria on the control of listerial activity and shelf life of smoked salmon scraps

The potential protective activity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from cold smoked salmon scraps was evaluated towards Listeria monocytogenes. Seventy‐three LAB strains were isolated and identified by biomolecular methods; Lactobacillus curvatus and Lactobacillus sakei prevailed. Three of the strains tested, identified as L. sakei, profile O, had a significant inhibitory activity against L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115 and clones DUP‐1042 and DUP‐18596. The evolution of microbial populations and chemical parameters were determined at time intervals to verify the shelf life. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated in half the packages also exceeding the legal limit. The shelf life of scraps was set at 30 days. Clonal characterisation of L. monocytogenes was performed by ribotyping. DUP‐1042, one of the human pathogen clones, was the most represented pattern. The results suggest further studies aimed at the selection of autochthonous nonspoilage LAB strains as bioprotective agents for cold smoked salmon.